Well, to the story:

I've been racing on latex tubes for a long time, and have never punctured due to anything else but my own mistakes...

Now I've just mounted my old Tiagra wheelset on my TT bike, and was eager to get out there and do some mileage on them.

But, sweet mother of God, what have I done to puncture twice over a 40k training day?

I'll go buy 2 new latex tubes tomorrow...

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- G. Digital K. Loco

so far this year: 7000km and 12 punctures.... i've never been so unlucky!

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Sprinters are born not made

Using also Latex, in france with a roadrace I had to go down on a grind hill (the road was full with grind) I going to down like this scared to dead I would crash the Lightweight. I am using on rear Vittoria Corsa EVO KX and front CX

Still good

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Chris Kuiper
www.KuiperTrading.com

Use Vredestein latex tubes, they're the lightest available i think at 47 grams each. To me latex offers a smoother ride with a slight but noticeable improvement in accelaration over butyl. Also i find them easier to repair. The dowsides are they puncture more frequently, had one today on the front on my brand new Pro Race. Latex are also very unforgiving if your rim tape and/or tyres aren't in excellent condition. Oh and another thing i've forgot to mention, using latex tubes i find the back tyre to be too soft and squidgy using certain tyres with a PSI limit of less than 120 such as Pro Race etc so i'm gonna use a light butyl tube on the back and save the latex for the front. Hope this helps.

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For if life, in the desire for which our essence and existence consists, possessed in itself a positive value and real content, there would be no such thing as boredom: mere existence would fufill and satisfy us.

Arthur Schopenhauer

I rode all year last year and up until July 6th this year on the same two latex tubes! (well four if you count my training wheels which use the same tires and tubes).

And I only blew the one on July 6th because some guy failed to call out pot hole in the paceline I was in. The guy in front of me and I both went through two pot holes and both blew out our rear tubes. We were both on the side of the road cursing.



Edit: I've used these with much success.
http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page ... 1&minor=31

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This board and the world in general would be a much nicer place if everyone could just take themselves a little less seriously.

mitchy latex all the way, would never use anything else.

Sinds yesterday I have some Green Michelin Latex tyres (insidetyre = clincher)

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Time VXRS Ulteam

Latex tubes in my experience do improve ride quality and resist punctures.Both "impact" and "penetration" types...

I even used Latex tubes off road a couple of seasons ago and rode over 1000 miles that year with NO punctures. Not bad...

However.... Installation is key. Nearly all users who suffer with latex tube problems have actually compromised the tube during the fitting process.

Tips for good installation. Plenty of Talc, NO levers ....ever,rim tape, rim and tyre must be in perfect condition, minimum inflation to "shape" the tube before insertion into the tyre.

Couldn't say for sure which ones are best but Michelin seem as good as any. Do miss those green (well not the green bit ) light alloy valve stems that are now replaced by cheaper brass style ones tho...

Finally,they do not like heat, so long descents are bad news. Campag Hyperon Ultra for clincher carries a warning not to use them due to heat under braking

You makes your choice...

MM

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mmm......shiny

Only use Michelin latex tubes - apparently the Vittoria's have some manufacturing defect that makes them explode....

I'm riding Vittorias...

No problems yet?

Well, I both thave Michelin and Vittoria and never had any problems with either!

The only reason I used butyl tubes yesterday, was that I did'nt have any more latex tubes and really wanted to go...

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- G. Digital K. Loco

I prefer Durex... ok, not funny.

I have good experiences with Michelins too (MTB)!

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Scott CR1 - 5,5 kg - done
Santa Cruz Blur Carbon - 8,9 kg - and tuning...
Body - 60 kg and tuning...